Been hearing that the group this year weren't as good as previous years, but after I watched it tonight with my wife I have to dissagree. They were very good. Possibly better than previous years in my opinion. They also have changed the format which makes the whole thing more interesting with showcasing the group of competitiors at the beginning for comparisons. Also you have the elimination and advancement process were America voted and the contestants are brought to center stage for what feels like a public execution. Then they have the ones that have to leave the show sing one last time. The whole show captured my interest for the finale of this season, so I guess I'll be watching the rest till the next American Idol is chosen.

Not a fan of the show, I tried early on, but the style of singers and the music selection is not up my alley. Let them have a Screamin' Jay Hawkins night and I'm there.

But this show is huge in Alabama, especially when people from the state are in the running. Ruben Studdard, Bo Bice, and Taylor Hicks are like instant folk heroes around here. The annoying popular Rick & Bubba radio show based in AL that airs across the South spends a lot of time picking the show apart they are such huge fans (that pun's too easy, so not intended).

Bo Bice apparently attended my college for a semester or two, they have degrees relating working in the music industry, performing and behind the scenes. He also used to perform here, especially during our annual WC Handy Music Festival. I remember seeing his name on bills and marquees back then. If I ever saw him perform I don't remember it.

People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age - as early as when they are in high school or college - whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.

The pigment levels are "programmed in" and Taylor (and many others, I cannot believe you don't know someone, male or female, that has greyed in their 20's) just lost his pigment early.

Who really cares? I always thought this was one of those vanity things that does not make a lot of sense to me personally.

My wife likes Americn Idol. Sometimes I watch it with her. Truthfully, I'd rather watch that that one of the myriad copycat sitcoms or CSI clones on tv. It reminds me of the old "variety show" days like when Carol Burnette was on. You know, back when TV was ENTERTAINING.

That said, one thing I REALLY hate about the show is the whole "America Picks" format. The results are NOT based on talent (as we saw last night at the end with that one dude that got voted off); I first became aware of this when Jennifer Hudson got voted off a few seasons back (that was the first season I watched it). As Simon Cowell is always saying, "it's a singing competition" yet the people that vote are NOT singing experts or even really care all that much about the quality of the singing. It reminds me of a high school popularity contest.

I think a better format would be for "America" to choose the bottom two or three, then of those, the judges pick who leaves. I *THINK* this is the way the second season of "So You Thing You Can Dance" (same producers) worked.

I hate these kind of shows (so called reality) and their manufactured drama.

I agree with that sentiment. 100%. The 'drama' is stupid, like the LOOOONG pauses before announcing who loses or hte LOOOOONG speeches when telling someone how much they suck.

But.

There's singing. And some of it is not half bad. I'm not defending American Idol at all. I could not care less if it just went away. I'm just saying that not everyone watches it for its pretense of "reality."

I do watch the show and often subject Andrew to it. The show is best if you have a DVR. I can watch the show in 1/3 its normal run time. There are too many commercials and I could care less what Ryan Seacrest thinks. He is annoying, but I love to hear Simon. I agree with most of his comments. He can come across as a jerk, but that is how it is at an audition. If you can't handle the truth, you'll never make it. I do think this season should have been broken into guys and gals. The guys have a totally different sound than the gals. There are six of them that I would buy CDs from. Only two of which are guys.

People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age - as early as when they are in high school or college - whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.

The pigment levels are "programmed in" and Taylor (and many others, I cannot believe you don't know someone, male or female, that has greyed in their 20's) just lost his pigment early.

Who really cares? I always thought this was one of those vanity things that does not make a lot of sense to me personally.

Or how about people with "skunk spots" when small patches turn grey while the rest of the hair retains it's natural color.

My first grey hair was found and plucked out by my cousin on my sixth birthday. I have enough that I notice them, especially when I'm due for a haircut. The loss of pigment in hair is preprogrammed just like hair loss is. I have male cousins who will be practically bald before they see 40. Their dad was like that by the time he was 30.

Ash and I are roughly the same age, yet I also can pass for mid-20s most of the time. I figure my hair turning will give me away before anything else as long as I take care of myself and from looking at older relatives.

Back to topic sorta, the hair seems to have given Hicks a trait for people to latch onto, a sympathic or humanizing element. I know I've heard him on the radio, yet he made no impression on me, can't remember anything about his voice. Even saw him in some car commercials on TV, don't remember any of the audio and I have a pretty decent memory for tunes and songs.